Material pickup for groove cutters

ABSTRACT

A groove cutter for payments and the like has a rotatable cutter provided with a bank of cutting discs that are cooled by streams of water. The particles of material and the water form a slurry. The pickup of the slurry by the discs and the centrifugal force which tends to project the slurry outwardly in a tangent are utilized in the removal of the slurry, leaving the grooved surface essentially free of such slurry.

United States Patent [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS [72]Inventor Barry W. Rhodes Belton,M0.

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Primary Examiner-Ernest R. Purser Attorney-Schmidt, Johnson, Hovey,Williams & Chase [54] MATERIAL PICKUP FOR GROOVE CUTTERS ABSTRACT: Agroove cutter for payments and the like has a rotatable 7 Claims, 3Drawing Figs. [52] cutter provided with a bank of cutting discs that arecooled by streams of water. The particles of material and the 299/39,175/313, 299/81 water form a slurry. The pickup of the slurry by thediscs and the centrifugal force which tends to project the slurry out-[50] Field ofSearch............................................ 299/39-wardly in a tangent are utilized in the removal of the slu 175/313;15/93, 320 leaving the grooved surface essentiallly free of such slurry.

MATERIAL PICKUP FOR GROOVE CUTTERS Grooving of airport runways fordrainage of water and grooving of roads, streets and highways at curvesand at intersections for better traction have become increasinglyimportant. The slurry that is left on the grooved surface by thegrooving machine has, however, presented a difficult problem, notheretofore satisfactorily solved.

An important object of my present invention, therefore, is to provideapparatus for removing the slurry, eliminating all hazard, not only inthe wet substance, but in the dust that remains after drying.

Another important object of the instant invention is to provide suchapparatus as a part of the groove cuttingmachine itself.

Still another important object of the present invention is the provisionof structure which advantageously utilizes the inherent movement of theslurry itself in the continuous removal thereof as the grooves are beingcut, eliminating the need, therefore, of complicated and expensivepickup equipment either as a part of or separate from the groove cuttingmachine.

In the drawing:

FIG. l is a fragmentary, vertical cross-sectional view of a groovecutting machine, illustrating the' pickup of the instant invention infront elevation;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, vertical cross-sectional view of the machineshowing the pickup in rear elevation, parts being broken away and insection for cleamess; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line3-3 of FIG. 1.

Cutting machine 10, shown only in part by the drawing, varies somewhatfrom the groove cutter of my U.S. Pat. No. 3,333,897 issued Aug. 1, 1967in that, instead of a pair of tandem discs, there is provided arotatable cutter 12 made up of a series of discs 14 rotatable as a uniton a common axis, i.-e., the generally horizontal axis of rotation ofshaft 16 which traverses the direction of travel of machine as shown byarrows 18 in FIG. 3. Shaft 16 is shown suspended from a pair offoreand-aft beams 20 by bearings 22, with discs 14 cutting parallelgrooves 24 in surface 26. Discs14 and spacers 28 therefor are fixed toshaft 16 for rotation therewith in the direction of arrow 30 shown inFIG. 3.

Apparatus for removing particles of material produced by cutter 12during cutting of grooves 24 in surface 26 includes a manifold 32 forsupplying cutter 12 with a cooling liquid, such as water. Manifold 32 isshown spaced behind the circular peripheries 14a of discs 14 inparallelism with and at a lower elevation than the axis of rotation ofshaft 16, but spaced above surface 26. Manifold 32 has a series ofspaced nozzles 34 inclined downwardly and forwardly for directingstreams 36 of the cooling water to the discs 14 at the zones of cuttingof grooves 24.

The material-removing apparatus includes additionally structure disposedto contain within limited bounds the liquid 36 and the particles ofmaterial removed by discs 14 as the latter cause centrifugal projectionof the liquid and material. Such structure includes an elongated, openbottom hood 38 that is generally semicircular in transverse crosssection. Hood 38 overlies the cutter 12 in diametrically opposedrelationship to surface 26 so as to partially shroud cutter 12, and isspaced radially outwardly from the peripheries 14a of discs 14. Endwalls 48 of hood 38 have downwardly opening notches 42 for clearingshaft 16 and lowermost edges 44 and 46 spaced above surface 26.Particles of material and water collecting on walls 48- are preventedfrom escaping from hood 38 through notches 42 (FIG. 2) by inwardlyflared flanges or troughs 48 formed on the inner surfaces of walls andlooped over shaft 16.

Lowermost and rearmost longitudinal edge 50 of hood 38 is spaced abovestreams 36, forwardly of manifold 32 and rearwardly of peripheries 14d,whereas lowermost and forwardmost edge 52 of hood 38 is spaced forwardlyof peripheries 14a at the elevation of edges 46. Hood 38 has a flexibleapron 64 secured thereto by fasteners 56 and depending from edge 52 intowiping engagement with surface 26. Flexible side panels 58 are securedto walls 40 by fasteners 60 and depend from edges 46 into slidingengagement with surface 26. A longitudinally extending outlet 62 in hood38 is disposed above apron 54.

The material-removing apparatus includes still further collector meansdisposed to receive the liquid and the material from the hood 38, takingthe form of a pair of open top containers 64 and 66, spaced abovesurface 26. Container 64 is spaced rearwardly of peripheries 14a andextends between walls 40 with its rear wall 68 depending from edge 50and its bottom 70 sloping toward a central outlet 72 in wall 68, fromwhich outlet 72 the material and water are continuously pumped.Container 66 is disposed forwardly of apron 54 below outlet 62 and hasits bottom 74 sloping toward an outlet 76 in front wall 78, here againthe material and water being continuously pumped from container 66 viaoutlet 76.

Means is provided for stripping the cutter 12 of liquid and materialtending to rotate therewith around its axis of rotation. Such meansincludes a first plate 80 between walls 40, notched to clear discs 14,extending upwardly and forwardly from the upper edge of front wall 82 ofcontainer 64, and terminating on the outer, circumferential annularsurfaces of spacers 28 tangentially to the latter. A second plate 84between walls 40 above plate 80, similarly notched and disposed, has aslightly different angularity than plate 80. A third plate 86 betweenwalls 40 extends downwardly and rearwardly from the upper edge of outlet62, is similarly notched and at a tangent to spacers 28. All threeplates 80, 84 and 86 strip the water and material from the side faces ofdiscs 14, from their peripheries 14a and from the spacers 28.

A top wall 88 and end walls 90 join hood 38 with wall 78, walls 90 alsoclosing the ends of container 66. An inclined plate 92 between walls 40depends from the lowermost edge of plate 84 between hood 38 andperipheries 12a, terminating at the container 64.

In operation, the discs 14 pickup the water 36 and the material removedfrom surface 26 in forming grooves 24 and project the slurry thusproduced upwardly and forwardly of discs 14 at a tangent by action ofcentrifugal force. Much of the slurry passes to the container 66 viaoutlet 62, and that which revolves beyond the plate 86 is carried towardthe plate 84. Slurry removed by plate 84 is directed into container 64by plate 92. Such slurry as revolves beyond plate 84 is directed intocontainer 64 by plate 80. The slight amount of slurry that escapes plate80 is redirected into the cycle by the streams of water 36. As a result,the grooved surface 26 and the grooves 24 themselves are leftessentially free of the particles of material removed by the cuttingaction of discs 14 and while the grooved surface 26 remains damp, thereis virtually no film of water left thereon, and very little slurry leftin grooves 24.

The means for pumping the slurry from containers 64 and 66 into acollection tank, the means for directing water under pressure tomanifold 32 from a supply tank, the drive for shaft 16, the means forraising and lowering cutter 12, and the prime mover for advancingmachine 10 form no part of the present invention and have, therefore,not been shown.

lclaim:

1. In a cutting machine having a rotatable cutter, apparatus forremoving particles of material produced by the cutter during cutting,said apparatus including:

means for supplying said cutter with a cooling liquid;

structure disposed to contain within limited bounds said liquid and saidmaterial being centrifugally projected by the cutter;

collector means disposed to receive the liquid and the material fromsaid structure, the latter including an open bottom hood overlying thecutter in diametrically opposed relationship to a surface being cut;

said hood having a front, surface-engaging, flexible apron spacedradially outwardly of said periphery of the cutter, and an outlet abovethe apron;

said collector means including a first, open top container at the rearof said hood underlying the latter radially outwardly of the peripheryof said cutter; and a second container disposed to receive liquid andmaterial projected through said outlet by the cutter;

said cutter having a member on each side respectively thereof, rotatablewith the cutter and provided with an annular face spaced radiallyinwardly of said periphery of the cutter; and

means for stripping the cutter and said faces of liquid and materialtending to rotate with the cutter and the members around the axis ofrotation thereof;

certain of said stripping means being disposed to direct the strippedliquid and material into the first container through the open top of thelatter,

another of said stripping means being disposed to direct the strippedliquid and material through said outlet.

2. In a cutting machine as claimed in claim 1,

said hood having a downwardly facing, rear, terminal edge spaced abovesaid surface and radially outwardly of said periphery of the cutter;

said first container depending from said edge with its open top betweensaid periphery of the cutter and said edge of the hood.

3. In a machine for cutting grooves:

a rotatable cutting disc having opposed sides and a peripheral cuttingedge;

means for supplying said disc'with a cooling liquid during removal ofmaterial from a surface being grooved by the disc;

structure disposed to contain within limited bounds said liquid and saidmaterial being centrifugally projected by the rotating disc;

collector means adjacent said disc and said structure for receiving theliquid and the material; and

means for stripping the disc of liquid and material tending to rotatewith the disc around its axis of rotation, including a stripper plate insaid structure having a clearance notch receiving said disc to positionthe plate in closely spaced relationship to the peripheral edge andsides of the disc to effect removal of liquid and material therefrom;

said stripping means being disposed to direct the removed liquid andmaterial into said collector means.

4. In a machine as claimed in claim 3, said structure includsaidstructure including an open bottom hood overlying the disc indiametrically opposed relationship to said surface and having portionsdisposed forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the direction ofrotation of the disc;

a said collector means including an open top container at the rear ofsaid hood underlying the latter radially outwardly of the peripheraledge of the disc and disposed to receive liquid and material revolvingcompletely through i the hood.

5. in a machine as claimed in claim 3, there being a member on each siderespectively of said disc, rotatable therewith and provided with anannular, circumferential face spaced radially inwardly of saidperipheral edge of the disc;

said plate extending inwardly to terminations proximal to the faces ofthe members.

6. In a machine as claimed in claim 5, portions of said plate adjacentsaid faces of the members being disposed in tangential relationshipthereto.

7. In a machine as claimed in claim 3, there being a series of saiddiscs axially spaced from one another and rotatable as a unit; and

members between the discs rotatable therewith and provided with annular,circumferential faces spaced radially inwardly of the peripheral edgesof the discs;

said plate having a series of said notches receiving correspondingdiscs, and extending inwardly to terminations proximal to said faces ofthe members.

1. In a cutting machine having a rotatable cutter, apparatus forremoving particles of material produced by the cutter during cutting,said apparatus including: means for supplying said cutter with a coolingliquid; structure disposed to contain within limited bounds said liquidand said material being centrifugally projected by the cutter; collectormeans disposed to receive the liquid and the material from saidstructure, the latter including an open bottom hood overlying the cutterin diametrically opposed relationship to a surface being cut; said hoodhaving a front, surface-engaging, flexible apron spaced radiallyoutwardly of said periphery of the cutter, and an outlet above theapron; said collector means including a first, open top container at therear of said hood underlying the latter radially outwardly of theperiphery of said cutter; and a second container disposed to receiveliquid and material projected through said outlet by the cutter; saidcutter having a member on each side respectively thereof, rotatable withthe cutter and provided with an annular face spaced radially inwardly ofsaid periphery of the cutter; and means for stripping the cutter andsaid faces of liquid and material tending to rotate with the cutter andthe members around the axis of rotation thereof; certain of saidstripping means being disposed to direct the stripped liquid andmaterial into the first container through the open top of the latter,another of said stripping means being disposed to direct the strippedliquid and material through said outlet.
 2. In a cutting machine asclaimed in claim 1, said hood having a downwardly facing, rear, terminaledge spaced above said surface and radially outwardly of said peripheryof the cutter; said first container depending from said edge with itsopen top between said periphery of the cutter and said edge of the hood.3. In a machine for cutting grooves: a rotatable cutting disc havingopposed sides and a peripheral cutting edge; means for supplying saiddisc with a cooling liquid during removal of material from a surfacebeing grooved by the disc; structure disposed to contain within limitedbounds said liquid and said material being centrifugally projected bythe rotating disc; collector means adjacent said disc and said structurefor receiving the liquid and the material; and means for stripping thedisc of liquid and material tending to rotate with the disc around itsaxis of rotation, including a stripper plate in said structure having aclearance notch receiving said disc to position the plate in closelyspaced relationship to the peripheral edge and sides of the disc toeffect removal of liquid and material therefrom; said stripping meansbeing disposed to direct the removed liquid and material into saidcollector means.
 4. In a machine as claimed in claim 3, said structureincluding said structure including an open bottom hood overlying thedisc in diametrically opposed relationship to said surface and havingportions disposed forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the directionof rotation of the disc; a said collector means including an open topcontainer at the rear of said hood underlying the latter radiallyoutwardly of the peripheral edge of the disc and disposed to receiveliquid and material revolving completely through the hood.
 5. In amachine as claimed in claim 3, there being a member on each siderespectively of said disc, rotaTable therewith and provided with anannular, circumferential face spaced radially inwardly of saidperipheral edge of the disc; said plate extending inwardly toterminations proximal to the faces of the members.
 6. In a machine asclaimed in claim 5, portions of said plate adjacent said faces of themembers being disposed in tangential relationship thereto.
 7. In amachine as claimed in claim 3, there being a series of said discsaxially spaced from one another and rotatable as a unit; and membersbetween the discs rotatable therewith and provided with annular,circumferential faces spaced radially inwardly of the peripheral edgesof the discs; said plate having a series of said notches receivingcorresponding discs, and extending inwardly to terminations proximal tosaid faces of the members.